Rich Jamaican black cake is a decadent Caribbean twist on the classic holiday fruit cake that you’ll love serving this Christmas! Dried fruit is soaked in sweet port wine and fragrant dark rum, then blended and folded into a spice cake like you’ve never had before! It's a festive, richly-flavored holiday cake that you won't regret baking this holiday season!
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Spiced, boozy, and blended with delicious dried fruit - this Jamaican black cake is an incredibly delightful centerpiece!
If baking gets you in the Christmas spirit, check out my holiday baking recipes! There are cookies, my fantastic Christmas cake, fruitcake and more cake ideas, pies, fudge, candy, and so much more to try!
A Tropical Spin On Fruitcake
Are you a fan of fruitcake but want to switch it up a little? Try a delightful change with this amazingly decadent Jamaican black cake! It's sure to be a new favorite!
It’s similar to fruit cake in that it’s a boozy spice cake mixed with dried fruit, but it’s scented with orange peel, baking spices, lime zest, and juice! The lime is really what makes this cake so unique!
The fruit in black cake is blended until smooth instead of left whole, which makes it incredibly moist. You’ll never have to worry about a dry cake!
🌎 Origin
This lovely, moist cake is an essential dessert in the Caribbean. It’s not only served during the holidays but also at nearly every celebration!
Most households have their version of the cake, but the recipe you see here is pretty standard. It’s a unique cake that you are going to love!
❤️ Why I Love This Recipe
Amazing Flavor! The flavor of this boozy, fruity cake is out of this world delicious! The sweet port wine and rum paired with the lime and spices is so special!
Super Moist! This cake is MOIST. It’s like nothing you’ve ever tried before! The texture is almost custard-like, which is so unique and delicious.
The Perfect Christmas Cake! Spiced, rich, fruity, and boozy, this show-stopping cake is going to wow on a holiday table!
🥘 Ingredients
There are a lot of ingredients here, but don’t worry—most of them are pantry staples. The fruit mixture can also be soaked ahead of time, so you can make it even up to 6 months ahead of time to save on prep!
Fruit Blend
- 9 ounces Dried Prunes – 9 ounces is about 1 ½ cups! You’ll want these to be pitted before soaking.
- 1 cup Raisins – Raisins are a great base fruit for the fruit blend. They add a gentle sweetness and lots of moistness.
- 1 cup Golden Raisins – Also known as sultanas, golden raisins are also another great base fruit.
- 1 cup Dried Cherries – Cherries add a tart bite to the fruit blend, which helps to balance the flavors!
- ½ cup Dried Currants – Currants are similar to raisins, but have a tangier, fruitier flavor that works perfectly in dish recipe!
- 1 ½ cup Port Wine – You can use any sweet, red dessert wine here. Save extra for soaking the cake!
- 1 ½ cup Dark Rum – Dark rum pairs perfectly with the fruit and spices! You can use your favorite brand of rum here—but bonus points if you get Jamaican rum!
What You'll Need For The Cake
- 1 cup Butter – This is equivalent to 2 sticks of butter! The butter needs to be softened to room temperature for this recipe.
- 1 ¼ cup Dark Brown Sugar – Brown sugar gives a deep, molasses-like flavor to the cake. I highly recommend dark brown sugar over light brown sugar for its richness.
- 5 large Eggs – The eggs should be brought to room temperature to blend well with the other ingredients and bake evenly.
- 1 medium Lime – Lime gives the cake an amazing, unique flavor! You’ll zest the lime and use 1 tablespoon of juice (Depending on how juicy your lime is, you might use ½ a lime or the whole lime).
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract balances out the flavors of the cake! Use 100% pure vanilla extract here if you can.
- 1 teaspoon Orange Extract – You can also use almond extract if you don’t prefer the flavor of orange extract. This adds extra flavor to the cake!
- 1 tablespoon Baking Powder – You’ll need this much baking powder to help give this super moist cake some lift!
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon – I love the sweet, spicy flavor that cinnamon lends to the cake! I recommend Vietnamese or Saigon cinnamon for its robust flavor.
- ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg – Nutmeg adds a sweet, distinct taste to the cake. It pairs exceptionally with the other spices!
- ½ teaspoon Ground Allspice – Allspice, or pimento, is a staple spice in Caribbean kitchens! The flavor is sweet and tastes like a combination of cinnamon and cloves.
- ¼ teaspoon Salt – Salt is needed in almost every dessert to help balance out the sweetness!
- 1 tablespoon Dried Orange Peel – Dried orange peel has a sweet, fragrant aroma and flavor. You can also use fresh here, but the flavor will be more pronounced.
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour – Use AP flour, not cake or self-rising flour.
- 2 tablespoons Browning Sauce – Browning Sauce gives a deep color to many Caribbean dishes, including this cake! The browning sauce will not affect the flavor of the cake.
- 2 tablespoons Molasses – Molasses adds even deeper color and richness to the cake! The combination of the browning sauce and the molasses is what gives the cake the dark, black color it’s named after!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 Instructions
I recommend soaking this cake overnight to absorb all the delicious port wine! Then, it will be perfect for serving!
Soak The Fruit Blend
- Mix the fruit and liquor. Using a container with a lid, start by combining the dried fruit mixture: 9 ounces of dried prunes, 1 cup of raisins, 1 cup of golden raisins (sultanas), 1 cup of dried cherries, and ½ cup of currants. Next, add 1 ½ cup of port wine and 1 ½ cup of dark rum or until all the fruit is submerged. You might need a bit more wine/rum to cover the fruit completely.
- Soak fruit. When the fruit is submerged, cover the bowl with a lid and allow the fruit to soak for at least 7 days and up to 6 months. Add more wine and rum as needed (See Tips & Recipe Notes for how to do a quick soak!)
Mix The Cake Batter
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 250°F (121°C). Next, blend the alcohol-soaked fruits in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside until the cake ingredients are combined. Then, line the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan or cake pan with a circle of parchment paper. Butter the bottom and the sides of the pan then set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. Cream together 1 cup of softened butter and 1 ¼ cups of dark brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Then, add 5 room temperature eggs, one at a time. Mix in between additions. If needed, you can add 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling.
- Add flavorings. Add the zest of 1 medium lime and 1 tablespoon of juice, along with 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1 teaspoon of orange extract, then mix to combine. Next, mix in 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon of ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of dried orange peel. Finally, add 2 cups of AP flour and combine until your batter is smooth.
- Finish the batter. To the batter, add 2 tablespoons of browning sauce, 2 tablespoons of molasses, and the blended fruit. Fold in the ingredients gently, just until fully combined. Then, transfer the mixture to the prepared Springform pan and smooth the top.
Bake & Cool
- Bake the black cake. Place your cake pan into the middle of your center rack and bake at 250°F (121°C) for 2 hours. Then, start testing the cake with a toothpick or cake tester. Once the inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and the top of the cake doesn’t imprint when touched, remove the cake from the oven (the cake can take up to 2 ½ hours, depending on your pan size).
- Finish and serve. Allow the finished black cake to cool on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and soak with ¼ cup of port wine (or a port/rum combo) overnight before serving.
Rich, decadent, moist Jamaican black cake can be garnished with maraschino cherries and then served at room temperature. Serve with tea, coffee, or even whipped cream or ice cream! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- To soak the fruit quickly, simmer the fruit and alcohol until the fruit is plump! Heat the blend of dried fruits with the port and rum in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before blending.
- Refeed leftover cake with port wine and/or rum to keep it moist! If storing the cake ahead of time, soak the cake with a little of the port or rum the night before serving to keep the cake delightfully moist and boozy.
- Measure the flour correctly to ensure the cake doesn’t get dry! You’ll want to spoon flour into your cup measure until full, then use the back of a knife or spatula to level off the top. This will make sure that there is no packed flour in the cup—so you get the perfect amount!
🥡 Storing
To store the cake, you can keep it on a cake stand with a lid or cake storage container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also refrigerate the cake for up to a week!
Cover the cake with a layer of plastic cling film or in a cake storage container. After these periods, however, the cake will start to lessen in quality.
Freezing
You can also freeze a black cake for up to 6 months! Cover the cooled cake with a layer of plastic cling film and a layer of foil or place it in a cake storage container.
When ready to eat, place the cake on your counter and let it thaw at room temperature.
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
❓ Recipe FAQs
Browning sauce is a blend of caramel color, seasonings, caramelized sugar, and vegetable concentrates. It is a staple in many Caribbean recipes, like this Jamaican black cake! You can find it either in the stock/soup aisle, the spices/seasonings aisle, and most commonly in the condiments aisle near the BBQ sauces, A-1, and Worcestershire sauce!
Port wine, which is used to soak the fruits and cake for this recipe, is a sweet fortified red wine from Portugal. Fortified means that a neutral alcohol is added during the wine-making process. It is a dessert wine, which makes it perfect for the Jamaican black cake! You can also use any sweet, red wine or dessert wine if you can’t find port.
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📖 Recipe Card
Jamaican Black Cake (Rum Soaked Christmas Cake Recipe)
Ingredients
Fruit Blend
- 9 oz dried prunes (pitted - about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup golden raisins (sultanas)
- 1 cup dried cherries
- ½ cup currants
- 1½ cup port wine (or sweet, red dessert wine + more for soaking the cake)
- 1½ cup dark rum
Black Cake
- 1 cup butter (softened, at room temperature - 2 sticks)
- 1¼ cups dark brown sugar
- 5 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 medium lime (zest and 1 tablespoon juice)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract (or almond extract)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon orange peel (dried)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon browning sauce
- 2 tablespoon molasses
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Fruit Blend
- Combine the fruit (9 oz dried prunes, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup golden raisins (sultanas), 1 cup dried cherries, and ½ cup currants) with the 1½ cup port wine and 1½ cup dark rum in a bowl or container until they are submerged. You may need a bit more of your wine/rum to cover the fruit completely.
- Cover and allow the fruit to soak for 7 days, and up to several months. Add more wine and rum as needed when soaking.For a quick version, heat the blend with port and rum over medium heat to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before blending.
Black Cake
- Preheat your oven to 250°F (121°C) and blend the fruit mixture until smooth. Set the blended fruit aside until the cake ingredients are combined. Line the bottom of a 10-inch Springform pan or cake pan and butter the bottom and sides.
- Cream together the softened 1 cup butter and 1¼ cups dark brown sugar until smooth and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the 5 large eggs one at a time and combine between adding the additional eggs. You can add a tablespoon of flour to prevent the mixture from curdling.
- Add the zest from 1 medium lime then the lime juice, along with the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon orange extract then mix to combine. Mix in the 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ½ teaspoon allspice, 1 tablespoon orange peel, and ¼ teaspoon salt then add the 2 cups all-purpose flour and combine until your batter is smooth.
- Add the 2 tablespoon browning sauce, 2 tablespoon molasses, and blended fruit then fold into the batter until fully combined. Transfer into your prepared Springform pan and smooth the top.
Bake & Cool
- Bake at 250°F (121°C) for 2 hours, then start testing the cake with a toothpick or cake tester. Once an inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean and the top of the cake doesn't imprint when touched, remove the cake from the oven. *The cake can take up to 2 ½ hours depending on your pan size.
- Allow your black cake to cool on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and soak with ¼ cup of port wine (or a rum/wine combo) overnight.
Notes
- To soak the fruit quickly, simmer the fruit and alcohol until the fruit is plump! Heat the blend of dried fruits with the port and rum in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before blending.
- Refeed leftover cake with port wine and/or rum to keep it moist! If storing the cake ahead of time, soak the cake with a little of the port or rum the night before serving to keep the cake delightfully moist and boozy.
- Measure the flour correctly to ensure the cake doesn’t get dry! You’ll want to spoon flour into your cup until it is full, then use the back of a knife or spatula to level off the top. This will ensure that there is no packed flour in the cup—so you get the perfect amount!
- Store your cake at room temperature for up to 4 days (you can re-feed the cake with port wine and/or rum the night before serving if desired).
- Refrigerate your black cake for up to a week, or freeze for up to 6 months.
Laura D says
I have not.made the cake yet,.so I have a question. I see bitters in the images you posted but not mentioned in the recipe. Can you tell me more. The reason I am asking is I will be trying two recipes side by side and the other recipe does call for bitters to be added when making the cake. Thanks for your feedback.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Add a dash of the bitters with the liquids when soaking the fruit. Thanks for asking!
Nikki says
I drained the fruit before reading the comments that I was supposed to blend the fruit with the alcohol it had been soaking in. But mid-blend, I could tell it needed juice so poured in the rum I had left. Hope I didn’t make it to rummy/not enough wine. I’ll find out tomorrow at book club!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I'm sure it will be a hit! Let me know what your book club thinks. 🙂
Terri says
I'm looking forward to reading this book and making this recipe for my book club. Just wondering if the fruit should be soaked in the refrigerator or at room temperature?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Room temperature works when the fruit is being soaked in alcohol only (when I mix fruit juice in, I refrigerate the soaking fruit). Thanks for asking!
Che says
I tried I a different recepie with not too good results. I baked yours and wow, the cake was the best! Tasted just like my late Guyanese Auntie's cake. This is my go to. Thank you so much
K.caristi says
I wanted to make a black cake for my book group. We had just read Black Cake and were going to discuss it last night. I read several recipes and read the reviews so I chose your cake to make. No one talked about the smells that fill your house when it is baking. It made my house smell so delicious it was hard to resist cutting into it. My whole book group was in love with the cake. I earned brownie points for making the cake and soaking the fruit for a couple of months. I love how you put the measurements in the instructions...very top notch. I will come back to your site if I am looking for another recipe. I am known for my baking and the ability to look at a recipe to know if it will be good or not...thanks for keeping my record at 100 percent.
Dawn Maillie says
Oh my goodness! Baked this cake for my book club. Outrageously delicious!! Thank you Angela! I had never baked a fruitcake, used a spring form pan, or tried a piece of Black cake. I covered the cake with a layer of almond paste followed by a layer of Royal Icing. It was a win win!! Would love to send you a pic!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thank you Dawn, so glad that the cake was a hit! And thank you very much for taking the time to send in pics too (attached here).
Jane Gummy says
Absolutely delicious, moist and spicy. I loved soaking the fruit for weeks, the anticipation made the process even more fun! Fantastic detail in the recipe, thank you! Tho it took me longer than 10 minutes to mix the batter.
Karen says
My cakes fell... not sure if that's normal or not? Did I do something wrong?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
What size cake pans did you use? And where were they placed in the oven? Let me know more so I can try to help out, thanks!
Anonymous says
You may have opened the oven too soon, it's very important to turn on the light and peek through to see if the edge is separating from the baking pan. If it is still raw on top it will fall. This goes for all cakes. Rule 101.
J says
I made this for Christmas and it was perfect! As someone of Jamaican heritage, this is the best recipe for Black Cake that I’ve come across. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Doll says
Agreee the best
Kelly Garrett says
I’ve puréed the dry fruit after soaking. Would 2 cups be sufficient or will I need more or less?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
If you started with the amount in the instructions (fruit and alcohol) you will want to use all of your pureed fruit. It should be upwards of 4 cups pureed. Thanks for asking!
Andi says
I dumped a bunch of random cherries and raisins and currants into a container with wine. About how many cups of the blended fruit mixture do you think is needed for your recipe?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Well, if you convert everything to ounces you get roughly 28 ounces of fruit (total) divided by 16 ounces for a pound. You will need approximately 1.75 pounds of assorted fruit soaked in port and rum. Each fruit you choose will have different weights (per cup) so this total is the best guideline. Thanks for asking!
Adrienne says
Thank you! I put a bunch of fruit to soak in wine and rum about a year ago and couldn’t even remember which recipe I used, let alone how much of each fruit I put in. Now I can get down to business.
Anshruta M says
I’ve made this cake so many times now, and it’s a favourite amongst family and friends. Thank you for this wonderful recipe! Instructions are so clear and I really appreciate that you put the quantity under each step, so I never have to scroll up and down!
L says
Question for those who have made this already: how blended did blend the fruit? To a puree consistency? or chunky?
Thanks!
Pat Haliday says
Pulse the fruits instead of blending. It needs to be a little chunky.
Elaine Fisher says
Hi. I would like to try this cake as it sounds excellent, however I have Packets of mixed dried fruit. How much pre packed fruit would I need for this recipe. Thanks in advance.
jacquie says
How do you get the top of the cake so shiny/
Darlene says
I used a bundt pan to bake this cake--it took almost 3 hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for a wooden bamboo skewer to come out clean. I'm serving the cake tomorrow evening with whipped cream, to tame down the booziness--I'm almost afraid to let my guests drive themselves home! Totally decadent!
D says
Good day
I would like to try this cake, but need it to be alcohol free. Can I soak fruits with apple juice or orange juice do you have any recommendation.
Thank you
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Yes, I prefer orange juice for this cake (and it will taste wonderful). Thanks for asking!
Sophia Patrick says
I soaked the fruits in a combo of black English breakfast tea (brewed strong!) and ginger ale. Weird but good
Diana H says
If I want to make cupcake size how long should I bake them for ?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
For cupcakes, I would bake them at 350F for 15-20 minutes. Check the black cakes early and remove them from the oven once the top springs back and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Enjoy!
Anonymous says
Thank you. Do you think I would have to change the temp since I have an electrical.stove instead of gas?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Not at all, the temperature works in either. Thanks for asking!
Elizabeth says
Looking forward to this cake. I have spiced rum and white rum. Can I use one of these?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
White rum would be your next best choice of rum for soaking the fruit. Enjoy!!
Stacy says
Hello, I've started the process to soak the fruit and I doubled the amount of fruit and liquid to make 2 cakes. Once the fruit and liquid is blended, how much should I measure to add to each cake batter? I'm so excited to try this recipe! It's been years since I've had black cake and it was SO delicious. Thank you!
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Hi Stacy! I love this cake and I know you will too! When you blend the fruit, simply divide out by measuring two portions until they are even in weight. Once you have the fruit in two equal portions, you'll be just fine. Enjoy!
James Rowat says
Good Morning!
I am currently soaking my Fruit. And just curious when it comes time to Bake is it possible to use Loaf pans. Or would there not be enough Batter.
My Wife is a Teacher and her Co-workers are asking for Baking, but I also want some! 🙂.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
You would have about 2/3 the amount of batter to fill two loaf pans (9x5-inch loaf pans). You could try smaller 8-inch loaf pans just don't let them over-bake. Good luck and please let me know if you give it a go!